In Flight Entertainment
by miss.eli
Summary: Bella hates flying, but Rose insisted on having her bachelorette party in Las Vegas, so here she is on a plane, sitting next to the most gorgeous man she's ever seen, embarrassing herself. Luckily, she'll never see him again. Right? AH, Fluff & Lemons
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I own nothing in this story besides the idea. All publicly recognizable characters, locations, etc, are the property of their respective copyright owners. I just use a little artistic license to mess with them.**

**This story is complete, 4 chapters plus a small epilogue. Updates on Saturdays. I'm my own beta right now, so any errors are my own. Enjoy! **

I sigh wearily as I drop my duffle bag off my shoulder and sink onto the plush sofa in the first-class lounge. Part of me hates Rosalie Hale for insisting on having her bachelorette party in Las Vegas. I hate flying, and she knows this, has known this as long as she's known me, which is since we were gawky teenagers living next door to each other in suburban Seattle. Then again, she did spring for my upgraded ticket, and flying first class almost makes it worth dealing with traffic, parking, and the indignity of TSA security. Almost.

I glance around the lounge, surprised there aren't more people here. I know there are only eight first class seats on this plane, but I would have expected everyone to have arrived by now, as the flight is scheduled to leave in half an hour. There's only myself and an older couple in the waiting area, meaning either this is a very empty flight, or five of our travel companions are even later than I am.

When the gate attendant announces pre-boarding, I realize it must just be an empty flight, as no other passengers have arrived. I smile to myself; this means I get even more room to sprawl out. The other couple and I make our way down the jet way, and I drop into my seat, plunking my bag on the seat next to me since it doesn't look like I'll have a seatmate.

I dig through my bag, searching for my headphones and book. I'm so engrossed in my search that I don't notice the shadow that's stopped in the aisle next to my row, until I hear a throat clearing.

My eyes shoot up, expecting the flight attendant, and then widen in shock. If this is what the flight attendants look like in first class, I might just change my opinion about flying. A gorgeous man stands in the aisle, gazing down at me with dark green eyes, set beneath a heavy brow and obscenely long eyelashes. He has close cropped brown hair, though despite the short length it looks unruly, as if he's run his hands through it repeatedly.

His black button down shirt is open at the collar and the sleeves are rolled up to the elbows, revealing sinewy forearms covered by a light dusting of dark hair. His shirt is tucked into dark blue jeans that sit low on his slim hips, and despite the relatively loose cut of the shirt, it's not so loose that I can't see the muscles of his arms and chest. This guy is ripped.

I realize I've been staring rather rudely and glance back up at his face guiltily. He's raised an eyebrow at me during my perusal, and when I meet his gaze again, he smirks at me knowingly. I feel the blush start in the tips of my ears and spread down my face to the base of my neck, and I swear his eyes follow the growing flush down my neck, and then lower, landing on my chest. Belatedly, I realize that with him standing, and the angle at which I'm leaning over the seat, he can probably see straight down my blouse.

I sit upright and his eyes snap back to mine, darker than they were a moment ago. It's my turn to raise a brow at him, as we are now even in our mutual ogling, but he doesn't look contrite. Quite the opposite, as he gives me another self-satisfied smirk.

"Your bag is in my seat," he murmurs, and I catch a hint of an accent. British? Australian, maybe. Despite his stunning good looks and sexy voice, I'm annoyed. The cabin is virtually empty and he's going to insist on sitting next to me and stealing my extra space? I glance behind me and am shocked to see the rest of the seats have filled. When did these other people arrive? Surely I wasn't rummaging in my bag that long.

I glance back at him, then something niggles at the back of my mind, and I turn back towards the rest of the passengers. The other seats have all been filled with men. Men who appear to be dressed similarly to the Adonis standing next to me, and just as swollen with muscles.

None quite match his beauty, though they're all incredibly attractive. My eyes widen as I take them all in - there's one with long, shiny black hair and russet skin, one with short, dark brown hair that falls in curls over his forehead, and two blondes, one with hair that curls over his ears, and the other with an almost-buzz cut and icy blue eyes.

I hear a throat clearing again and my eyes swing back to the god posing as a man standing in the aisle of the plane. I realize I've not moved since he spoke, and my bag is still occupying the seat that is rightfully his. I feel the blush that had receded during my perusal of the other passengers return full force, and I scramble to pull the bag out of his way so he can sit.

In my haste, the bag tips and the contents tumble onto the floor of the cabin through the still-open zipper. I groan at my embarrassing display of clumsiness in front of this epitome of male beauty, and bend over to retrieve my wayward belongings. As I'm shoving blouses and toiletries haphazardly back into my bag, I curse myself for being so flustered.

He's just a pretty face. And if he didn't think I was a complete fool for my reaction to his presence, he certainly does now. _No_, I chastise myself. _I don't care what he does or doesn't think of me. As soon as this plane lands, we'll go our separate ways and I'll never see him again. So he can judge me all he wants._

Feeling slightly mollified after my little internal pep-talk, I zip shut my bag and shove it under the seat in front of me. I keep my eyes trained forward as he sits down, resisting my body's inclination to lean towards him and sniff. I bet he smells amazing. I bury that thought as I feel my ears turn pink. _You'll never see him again,_ I remind myself.

I feel a fissure of energy as he leans towards me. My eyes drop closed, and I will myself not to spontaneously combust as his nose grazes the shell of my ear and he murmurs, "I assume these are yours." It takes me a moment to realize he has actually said something that requires a response from me, so I turn my head towards him and peel my eyes open only to slam them shut in mortification a moment later.

In the palm of his upturned hand is a pair of my panties - the lacy, dark blue ones that Rose insisted I bring with me, since, according to her, "You never know what will happen." _Well, Rose, now I know what will happen. I will act like a complete fool in front of the most gorgeous man I have ever seen and he will hand them back to me after I've dropped them on the floor of the first-class cabin_. Probably not what she had in mind.

I can feel my face flaming as I snatch them out of his hands and grit out a "Thank you," before I shove them into my pocket. My fingertips tingle from where they made contact with his skin, but I push the thought from my mind. If he had any doubt in his mind that I was absolutely nuts, he now has confirmation in spades. The rest of his group is seated in pairs; he's the odd man out, and gets stuck next to me for the whole flight. Poor, gorgeous man.

I curl up into the corner of my seat, trying to put as much distance between us as possible in the confined space. He seems oblivious to my efforts to make him more comfortable by acting invisible, because as soon as he's stowed his bag, he leans towards me over the arm rest between us and extends his hand. The same hand that was previously holding my panties.

"I'm Edward," he murmurs in his velvety accent.

"Bella," I whisper, unable to speak any louder for fear my voice will crack.

I realize his hand is still hovering in the air between us, waiting for me to stop acting like an imbecile and shake his hand in proper greeting. I smooth my palms across my jeans, hoping to eliminate any sweatiness, and gingerly place my hand in his. A tingle of electricity shoots up my arm at the contact, igniting my blush anew.

His gaze drops to follow my blush to where it disappears into the neckline of my top then quickly snaps back to my face. Rather than shake my hand, he squeezes it gently.

"Pleasure to meet you, Bella," he murmurs, and I shiver at the way his voice caresses my name. "What brings you out Las Vegas way? Business or...pleasure?"

It's all I can do to prevent myself from combusting at the insinuation as he practically purrs the word "pleasure" at me. I have no doubt that if I were traveling with him I would have no shortage of pleasure. The promise of dark, carnal things dances in his eyes as he smirks at me, awaiting my answer.

"Uh, pleasure I suppose?" I answer hesitantly. He quirks a brow at me, silently asking for more information at my half-questioning answer. "I'm going for a bachelorette party," I clarify.

"Ah, the ever popular bachelorette party in Las Vegas. Nice choice," he grins. "I suppose you'll drink yourselves silly then go break a bunch of hearts at a dance club?"

Sounds like the kind of thing Rosalie would like to do, though I wasn't exactly sure the specifics of the plans for the weekend. Her college roommate, Alice, had planned everything. All I had to do was show up. But I didn't doubt that I was in for some ridiculous debauchery, not that I really wanted to deal with that nonsense. I'd rather just sit around the pool at the hotel.

I didn't realize my face had twisted into a moue of displeasure until Edward let out a hearty laugh. "What, not your idea of a good time?" he chortles.

"Not exactly," I admit. "I'm sure I'm in for something like that, but I'd be much happier just laying out by the pool or something."

His eyes darken and I have a feeling he is imagining me in a bikini, or maybe even less. Suddenly I realize he still has my hand in his. Flustered, I quickly tug it out of his grasp. It's odd - I feel bereft now that I don't have physical contact with him. _Stupid girl, you'll never see him after this flight is over, _I chastise myself.

I clear my throat, trying to regain my composure. "How about you? Heading to Vegas by choice or requirement?" I ask.

"I actually live there, so I'm headed home," he explains. Before I can respond to this revelation, the flight attendant stops to see if we want anything, her tone implying she'd be willing to offer Edward much more than what is stocked in the little airplane kitchen. I grimace at her blatant flirting, then scold myself since I have zero claim on the man sitting next to me. Even though he's seen my panties, which is more than most men can say.

Edward barely glances her way before declining. Her face falls at his dismissal but she moves on to the other rows. _Plenty more handsome men to work your wiles on, deary_, I think smugly. Then it sinks in that we're moments away from takeoff.

My face must register my panic, because the gentle smile that had been on Edward's face falters as he looks at me. "What's the matter?" he asks cautiously.

"I, uh...I don't really like flying. I'm only doing it now because Rose insisted and we've been friends forever so I feel like I owe it to her," I confess.

"Shh, nothing to be afraid of," he murmurs, reaching for my hands which are now clasped tightly in my lap. He pulls one over to his lap and rubs his thumb gently over my knuckles, soothing the tension there. The gentle motion is enough to distract me as we taxi away from the gate and towards the runway.

But as soon as the plane begins moving into position for takeoff, the small touch isn't enough to keep the panic at bay anymore, and I can feel my heart-rate increase in anticipation. Suddenly, Edward releases my hand, and I'm about to protest - the small comfort is better than no comfort at all.

Then I'm being pulled up against his chest and I realize he only released my hand to lift the arm rest between us. He tucks me under his chin and wraps both arms around me. One holds me close while the other begins stroking the hair at my temple.

I'm rigid in surprise for a moment before his ministrations take effect and I practically melt into him. I burrow further against him, inhaling his scent. I was right, he does smell delicious. Like soap, and citrus, and something that must just be Edward.

He murmurs quiet, soothing things against my hair, though I can't make out most of the words, just the intention behind them. It feels like it's only been moments before he loosens his grip and starts to ease away from me.

I make a noise of protest and snuggle tighter against him, bringing my arms around him to keep him in place. He stiffens for a moment when I first touch him, but he quickly relaxes back into the embrace.

"I've got you, pretty girl," he murmurs against my hair. I hum my agreement and tighten my hands against his back, enjoying the way his muscles flex beneath my touch. I feel, rather than hear, when he begins to hum a melody I don't recognize. With my eyes closed and Edward's arms around me, I can almost forget I'm in a metal tube hurtling through the sky thousands of miles above solid ground.

I feel the seat beneath me jolt suddenly and I tense, expecting it's turbulence, and I resist when Edward's arms loosen again. "Shh, love, we've landed. It's all over now," he says, gently shifting me back into my own seat.

I'm completely confused - there's no way I missed the entire two and a half hour flight. But as I glance out the window, I see that we are, in fact, on the ground in Las Vegas. I can see the glittering lights of the strip in the distance.

Now I'm mortified. Not only has this man had to deal with my panties and panic, but I've fallen asleep on him, and he's made not a sound of discontent. I should nominate him to be canonized as a saint.

"I'm so sorry," I mumble, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Hey, why are you apologizing, love?" He brings his finger to my chin and turns my face so I have no choice but to look at him. "Best flight I've ever been on."

I search for any sign of teasing or deceit, but his eyes are earnest as they gaze back into mine.

"Still, I wasn't exactly the best seat-mate. Panicking, and using you as a human pillow," I protest.

"You can use me as a human pillow anytime you feel like, pretty girl," he says with a grin.

I blush again and avert my eyes, reaching down to retrieve my bag rather than acknowledge his statement. I find my phone and turn it back on, seeing several text messages from Rosalie waiting for me. I flip through them - nothing critical, just concern about how my flight went and hoping I got in safely.

Edward stands to debark the plane, and I realize this is it. I will never see this man again. The thought makes me incredibly sad, though I know next to nothing about him. I'm so wrapped up in my maudlin musings that I don't realize he hasn't walked off yet.

"You coming, love?" he asks.

I glance up at him, startled, but quickly regain my bearings and stand. I manage not to bang my head on the overhead bins, which is a miracle in itself, and stumble into the aisle behind Edward. Satisfied that I am not, in fact, staying on the plane, Edward turns and makes his way out of the plane. I follow and am slightly surprised to see Edward waiting for me at the end of the jet way.

Then I realize that he must be waiting for the other men who had been in first class. I glance behind me and confirm they are not far behind me. I sigh at my absurdity. _Of course he's not waiting for you. You practically molested him. He probably can't wait to get as far away from you as possible and laugh about the crazy lady he sat next to on his flight home. _

As I start to walk past him, he grabs my arm, halting my progress. My eyes meet his and he gives me a bewildered smile. "What's the rush, pretty girl?"

"Rose is waiting for me," I mutter, trying to shrug out of his grip. He drops his hand and his smile falters.

"Oh. Well, I thought..." he drifts off, reaching his hand up to scratch at the back of his neck. The rest of his group has reached us now, and he seems to be having a silent conversation with one of the blondes. He glances back down at me and smiles uncertainly. "Well then. It was lovely to meet you, Bella. Hope you enjoy your time in Vegas. Don't break too many hearts."

I snort at the suggestion that I could break any hearts and turn to go find a taxi to the hotel. I hear hushed voices arguing behind me, before Edward calls out, "Bella!"

I stop and turn slowly to face him. He runs up to me and holds out a scrap of paper. I look at him, confused, and he presses it towards me again. "I know you're only here for a short time, but if you find you've got some down time, maybe you'd like to call me? I'd love to take you out for a drink," he rushes out. At my hesitation, he continues, "Or not, no pressure. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, and you totally don't have to take my number if you don't want to, I'd just really like to see you again, get to know you a little better -"

I cut him off by snatching the paper out of his hand. He gives me a relieved smile, and rocks back on his heels as he tucks his now empty hands into his back pockets. "Good. Great. So, you'll call me? Or you can text if you don't want to call. Or if you don't have time to talk or whatever."

I can't help but smile at his continued word vomit. He sounds just like me when I get flustered. The thought is very comforting, that this perfect specimen isn't completely immune to human frailties.

"I don't know if I'll have time for that drink while I'm here, but I'm sure I can find time to give you a call."

His smile is practically blinding at my words, and he reaches out a hand to tuck some hair behind my ear. "I can't wait to hear from you, pretty girl."

I can't help but smile back. "Yeah, so, um. Talk to you soon?"

"I certainly hope so, Bella," he murmurs, as he begins walking backwards away from me.

"Yeah, ok. Um. Bye," I stammer, turning around and stumbling off towards the taxi stand.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for the lovely response to chapter 1! I don't think I mentioned this last time, but I've got inspiration pics on my blog - link is in my profile. Let's get to it, shall we? Enjoy!**

I'm so consumed with replaying the last few hours over and over in my memory that I barely respond to the cabbie when he asks where he should drop me. Luckily he must understand me, because he deposits me in front of Mandalay Bay.

I realize as the doorman ushers me into the opulent lobby that I haven't responded to any of Rose's texts. At this point, I may as well just wait until I get up to the room; another five minutes won't make a difference.

When I finally make it up to the room, I'm confused when there's no one else in the suite Alice has booked us into. I check my phone and realize I should have been paying more attention and not fantasizing about my mile-high hunk. I have a series of increasingly irritated messages from Rose, starting with worrying where I am and ending with a message saying they weren't going to wait any longer and were heading out to Hyde. There was lots of pleading to join them as soon as I got in.

I glance at the digital clock on the bedside table and wince when it's already nearly midnight. My bedtime was like two hours ago and I decide to get ready for bed rather than get ready for the club. I feel a little guilty for skipping out on the first of Rose's bachelorette festivities, but I'm still recovering from the stress of flying and, if I'm being honest, I'd like a like a little more time to bask in the afterglow of meeting Edward.

As I'm brushing my teeth, I realize this would be the perfect time to send Edward a text. He's probably at home asleep already, so there's no pressure. I can just send him a quick message, which will give him my number, and put the ball in his court.

I grab my phone and the scrap of paper Edward gave me in the airport and send him a quick message.

B: Cabs are almost as scary as airplanes. Luckily, made it to the hotel in one piece. Am I a loser for skipping out on Hyde in favor of my bed?

I go back to wash my face and jump when my phone buzzes almost immediately

E: I would choose your bed over Hyde any night, pretty girl

I feel myself flush in pleasure at his words. I'm feeling bold when not faced with his piercing gaze, and decide to let myself say things I wish I were brave enough to say in person.

B: Too bad you can't join me. It looks like a nice, big, comfy bed. Lots of room to sprawl.

E: I wouldn't need much room. I wouldn't let you get that far away from me.

B: Sharing the suite with four other women might be a little awkward though. Unless you're into that kind of thing

E: No, pretty girl. When I get you into bed, I'm not sharing you with anyone

B: When? Not if? Awfully cocky

E: You have no idea ;)

B: Maybe if you were here you could show me ;)

E: Don't tease, love

B: Who's teasing?

E: You have no idea what you're doing to me

B: I bet I have some idea, if it's anything like what you do to me

E: You're killing me, pretty girl. Are you sure you won't have time to have that drink with me?

B: Probably not, especially ditching out on tonight. I'm going to have to make it up to Rose

E: Well if you change your mind, you know how to reach me

B: This bed looks awfully lonely...

E: *groans* you can't say things like that, love. I have to work tomorrow and I won't be able to concentrate

B: Sucks to be you. Good night, cocky boy ;)

E: Oh, no, it most definitely does not suck to be me. Not since I met you. Sweet dreams, pretty girl :)

I plug my phone into the charger and snuggle into the plush bedding. I can't keep the grin off my face as I revel in my interactions with Edward. As impossible as it is for me to believe, he seems to be attracted to me. A guy like him can probably have any woman he wants.

Or maybe he's just the kind of guy who flirts with anything with a pair of breasts. He didn't strike me as that kind of guy on the plane, but then again we didn't exactly talk much. Oh, well. I just have to keep reminding myself that I'll never see him again. I can send him a few flirty messages, but that's the extent of it.

My dreams that night are filled with white sheets, tan skin, and piercing green eyes.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The next day, the bachelorette events are in full swing. We sleep in since the girls didn't get back from Hyde until nearly 2 am, then grab a late breakfast in the hotel lobby. Luckily, Rose is too busy nursing her hangover to interrogate me too intensely about why I didn't respond to her texts or join them at Hyde. I'm grateful; usually I share all my boy drama with her, but for some reason, I want to keep Edward to myself for just a little longer.

After breakfast, we spend several hours just lounging by the pool. I'm grateful Alice didn't pack our day full of crazy activities. That afternoon though, I'm wishing I hadn't counted my blessings quite so soon.

First, when Alice announces she has booked us all spa treatments, I'm excited at the prospect of a massage and maybe a facial. However, she's also booked us for waxing. Having my body hair ripped en masse from my flesh is not something I usually do willingly. When I protest, Alice throws me her puppy dog eyes and Rose lays on the guilt trip, so I finally begrudgingly relent.

After I've been subjected to waxing of my eyebrows, legs, and bikini line, Alice announces it is makeover time. This is even worse to me than the waxing. But, because I'm a good friend, I keep my protests to myself and let Alice and Rose do my hair, makeup, and dress me up in a ridiculous cocktail dress.

I have to admit though, when we're all done, the five of us look pretty hot. Alice decided we needed to "coordinate", so we're all wearing sequin-covered dresses. Mine is a dark blue one-shoulder dress. Alice is in pink, Rose's friend Kate is in black, and her co-worker Victoria is in green. Rose herself is in a skin-tight silver dress that looks absolutely spectacular on her.

I assume we're just going to a club to dance and drink, but you know what they say about assuming. Next thing I know, we're making our way to the monorail and riding it a few hotels down to Excalibur so that we can see Thunder from Down Under, which showcases, according to Alice, "the hottest pieces of man-meat west of the Mississippi". Apparently we're hitting every bachelorette party cliché, because we're going to see male strippers. I want to kill Rose for making me come to this, but I bite my tongue and follow along anyway. Maybe if I drink enough, I can tolerate it.

Of course we're sitting in the VIP area, closest to the stage. I won't be able to ignore the "man-meat" no matter how hard I try. I sigh and look around for the waiter. At least we get pretty decent service since Rose is wearing her bachelorette tiara. We do a round of shots to kick the night off right (Alice insists on Screaming Orgasms first, because a girl can hope, right?), and I'm just finishing my Long Island when the lights dim and the first chords of "It's Raining Men" boom out of the speaker system.

I roll my eyes. Could this be any cheesier? And then the men come out on stage and I'm not rolling my eyes anymore. I recognize these guys. They were the ones on the flight into Vegas with me yesterday. My jaw is hanging open and I can vaguely hear Rose asking me "What's wrong?"

"I was on the plane out here with these guys yesterday," I finally gasp.

"You lucky bitch!" Victoria shrieks.

"Oh my god, that would be the best in-flight entertainment, ever!" Kate adds.

"They were wearing their clothes," I snort, rolling my eyes.

"Bummer," Alice remarks, eyes trained on the men appearing on stage. "But they're hot even with their clothes on."

"Amen," we all agree.

That's why they were all dressed similarly on the plane, why they were all buff and ungodly beautiful. They're male strippers. Something is tickling at the back of my mind, but the alcohol I've consumed is making me fuzzy. The last guy saunters on stage, and I just about fall out of my chair. Suddenly, that tickle is crystal clear, and standing right in front of me.

Edward.

_Edward_ is a male stripper.

Oh my god, I'm going to see Edward naked.

We had hinted at something like that in our text conversation last night, but I don't think this is quite what he meant. I slam the rest of my drink and signal to the waiter for the next round, and he's quick to oblige. I'm going to need copious amounts of liquid courage to handle this turn of events.

As the men start their routine, I can't take my eyes off Edward. He's smiling, flirting with the crowd, milking it for all he can. His eyes are scanning the crowd, and they skim past me quickly, then boomerang back to meet my stare. His steps falter for just a moment, but he quickly picks back up where he should be in the routine.

His eyes haven't left mine yet as he continues dancing. By now, the guys have removed their trench coats and are in slacks and button-downs, but I haven't taken my eyes off Edward. As the song reaches its crescendo, they guys rip their shirts open and the crowd of women goes wild. I don't scream - my mouth is so dry at the sight of Edwards chiseled bare chest that I can only squeak. I nearly knock my glass over as I fumble to reach for it, pulling it up and taking a long pull. My reaction causes Edward to smirk at me. I wish I were capable of doing anything besides stare, but I'm not.

Finally the song is over, and as the men leave the stage, I see Edward lean over and whisper into the ear of the blonde guy from the plane. His head whips back to look at our table, and when he makes eye contact with me, his face splits into a wide smile and he punches Edward's shoulder. With one last smoldering look in my direction, Edward disappears backstage, and I collapse back in my seat.

I'm trying to calm my heart rate when I realize all four of the other women at my table are gaping at me as if I've sprouted another head. Rose is the first to speak.

"Um, what the _fuck_ was that?!"

"What?" I mutter, feigning ignorance.

"Why was that guy looking at you like this show might turn into a porn rather than a strip show?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," I argue, but my blush gives me away, even in the dark club.

"Bitch, you're lying. What's going on between you and that fuckhot stripper?" Rose demands.

"Nothing's going on. I told you we were on the same flight. I sat next to him." There, that's true at least. Maybe not the entire story, but still true enough.

"You _just_ sat next to him?"

"What, you think I gave him a mid-flight hand job or something?" I scoff.

"Well, fuck, he certainly looked like he wouldn't mind a mid-performance hand job from you," Alice chimes in. I glare at her, then Rose.

"He sat next to me. That's it. We didn't even talk beyond introducing ourselves," I insist. Technically still true. We didn't talk...we just cuddled the whole flight. And then texted afterwards. Technically, we didn't talk - we wrote.

They all eye me skeptically, but by then the next performance is starting, so that draws their attention back to the stage and off of me. I breathe a sigh of relief at having their scrutiny lifted, and settle in to enjoy my ogling.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry for the super long delay on this. I tried to post this morning, but apparently FF was having server issues and I couldn't log in. But I'm in now and technically still Saturday :)**

**Thank you for all the love on this so far. I was actually on a flight to Vegas with some of the guys from Thunder from Down Under. Mine didn't go quite this way but y'know, inspiration struck. Enjoy! **

For the next hour, the men dance, undulate, strip, and generally work the crowd of tipsy women into a writhing mass of sexual frustration. Edward's eyes meet mine frequently, though he doesn't hold eye contact like he did during the first number.

I'm just returning to my seat from a quick trip to the ladies room when I hear extra loud shrieks. I stumble my way towards our seats and realize several of the men have made their way out into the audience. Some are standing on tables dancing, while others are roaming the aisles, pausing here and there to grind on women who catch their attention.

I briefly consider returning to the restrooms and skipping this portion of the performance when I see Edward moving through the audience in the general direction of our table. Game on. I rush back to the table and plunk myself into my chair just as Edward reaches our row.

His eyes never stray from mine as he stalks towards me. I'm torn between keeping his gaze and staring at his bare chest, which is on full display. His eyes win though, the vibrant green pinning me in place and making it difficult to remember how to breath.

"Hello, pretty girl," he murmurs, his lips brushing my ear as he speaks. I can't help the shiver that runs up my spine at his proximity.

The alcohol I've consumed makes me bold, so I lean in and reply, "Hello, cocky boy," and let my teeth graze his earlobe. I'm thrilled when I hear his breath catch, and when I pull back to meet his eyes, they've darkened to almost black.

I've forgotten we aren't alone until Rose squeals next to me. I break Edward's gaze and see several of the other men have descended on our table. One is grinding on Alice while she runs her hands across his chest, and another is leading Rose towards the stage.

The sparks from Edward placing his hand on my thigh bring my attention back to him.

"Have a drink with me tonight after the show," he insists.

I glance at Rose, who is now getting a lap dance on stage, then to Alice, who looks about ready to combust after her encounter with her Aussie. I think they'll understand if I bow out of the rest of the night.

I meet Edward's eyes again, and he looks oddly vulnerable considering he's still moving his body sinfully. I nod slightly, and I know I've made the right decision when a brilliant smile lights up his face. He leans back in and murmurs, "I'll text you after the show, we can meet somewhere."

I nod again, and with a final thrust in my direction, he saunters off towards the stage to finish the show. My eyes stay on him the entire way, and I can't stop a small sigh from escaping when he flashes me a wink as he leaps back onto the stage.

A throat clearing next to me breaks my reverie, and I slowly turn towards the other women at the table. Rose is still recovering from the adrenaline of being pulled on stage, but Alice, Kate, and Victoria are all smiling smugly.

"Care to amend your story about _just_ sitting next to him on the plane?" Kate smirks.

I feel my face flush at being caught. Honestly, with Edward's intoxicating presence, I had forgotten we weren't the only people in the room. Knowing I've been caught, I shrug my shoulders and give them a shit-eating grin.

"He may or may not have given me his phone number, and we may or may not have texted last night," I admit.

"And...?" Alice prompts. I know she won't drop the subject until I tell her what she wants to hear.

"And...he may or may not have asked me to get a drink with him," I finish. The girls all squeal at this revelation. I can't imagine how they'd react if I revealed he'd basically told me he wants to get me into bed. The glasses on the table would likely shatter from the volume of the shrieks.

"Fuck, I'd give my left tit for just ten minutes alone with one of these hunks," Victoria sighs wistfully.

"No way, I'd need both tits intact for what I'd want to do with them if I got one alone," Alice argues, making the rest of us laugh hysterically.

"So are you getting that drink with him?" Kate asks, eying the men on stage. They're wearing firemen get-ups now, and I can't help but snicker at the innuendo of fires and hoses.

I open my mouth to answer, but Rose beats me to it. "Of course she is," she announces. I try to start again, and once again Rose interrupts me. "There is no way you are turning down an opportunity to have some alone time with a guy who could melt the panties off of a nun."

I raise an eyebrow at her. "Can I speak now?"

She crosses her arms over her chest and gives me a bitch-brow, daring me to defy her. Having been on the receiving end of her glare more times than I can count, it doesn't even phase me. It also doesn't hurt that she's completely plastered and her attempt at a bitch-brow just makes her look constipated.

"You're going," she insists.

I roll my eyes at her. "Uh, duh. Did you see him? I love you, but yeah. I'm totally ditching you tonight."

This sets off another round of squeals from the girls, and I barely resist covering my ears.

With that settled, we watch the rest of the show. Well, I watch Edward. I barely notice the other guys. As hot as they are, they can't hold a candle to Edward. I also switch to soda. I have a feeling I'm going to want to be sober for what's coming next.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

E: "Still up for that drink, pretty girl?"

I can't stop the grin that spreads across my face when I see the text from Edward. Not caring that I probably sound too eager, I quickly reply.

B: "Name the place, cocky boy"

E: "Meet me in the lobby of Excalibur?"

Well that's convenient, as the girls and I have been sitting in the bar at The Steakhouse since the show let out. They don't want to leave for the club until I have concrete plans, and it makes me feel less like I am ditching Rose on her weekend.

B: "Already there. Get your cute little ass down here. Chop chop"

"You think my ass is cute, love?" a velvet voice purrs in my ear, and I nearly drop my Diet Coke.

"Me and every other woman in Las Vegas," I retort, spinning to face him. I suck in a startled breath at his proximity - my quick turn has essentially put us nose to nose. His green eyes sparkle down at me, and I feel my flush starting.

"Here, here!" Rose slurs, effectively breaking the moment. This causes the rest of the girls to giggle, and I swear Edward's ears turn a little pink.

"What about _my_ ass, darlin'?" another deep voice drawls. Five sets of eyes swivel to the new speaker, and I swear I can hear the other girls' panties combusting. Apparently male strippers travel in packs - first the plane, and now we are faced with half a dozen gorgeous men.

"What do they feed these guys down in Australia?" Kate asks. She's had too many drinks to have a decent sense of her volume, so even though I think she's trying to whisper, her voice is perfectly audible to everyone within a ten-foot radius.

All of the men chuckle, and one I don't recognize from the plane pipes up, "Beautiful women. Want to be my next meal?"

I snort at the terrible line, and Edward punches the guy's shoulder. Kate doesn't seem completely opposed to the idea, though, as she flutters her eyelashes at him.

"Ladies, since I am absconding with the lovely Bella tonight, I thought I'd offer you some replacements," Edward tells Alice and Rose. No one seems to be too upset at the idea of not having me join them if it means they get to spend the evening with these Australian babes. Whores.

Then again, I'm practically salivating at the thought of spending the evening with my own Australian babe, so I guess I can't really blame them.

"Lucky us," one of the blondes says, wiggling his eyebrows. "Shall we?" He offers his arm to Alice, and she hops off her barstool. The rest of the girls pair off with the guys, though Rose gets one on each arm. I guess that's one of the perks of being the bachelorette.

"Text me where you guys end up, ok?" Rose asks before they head out. I smile at her concern for me, even when she's completely sloshed. I give her a quick hug and whisper my promise that I will.

As they walk off, Rose calls over her shoulder, "Oh, and Edward? No glove, no love!"

I can feel my face burn, and I know I'm bright red. Even Edward is slightly pink. Everyone else is laughing hysterically.

"Bitch!" I call after her half-heartedly. She just lifts her middle finger at me over her shoulder, not even deigning to turn around.

After the group has left my view, I brace myself and turn back towards Edward. I had expected him to also be watching our friends depart, but he's gazing down at me with a soft smile. His scrutiny ignites my blush again, and his small smile spreads into a full-fledged grin when he sees the flush.

"I love that color on you," he murmurs.

I glance down at my dress. "It's a little over the top for me, but Alice insisted we match..." I trail off.

"Not that color, though you do look incredible and I owe Alice a gift for putting you into it. But I meant this color," he says as he lifts his hand and brushes the backs of his knuckles along my cheek, trailing his fingertips down my neck and across my exposed collarbone and shoulder.

I am on fire. That small, intimate touch sends sparks careening throughout my body, and starts a slow curl of fire low in my belly. I don't even know how to respond to his declaration, so I simply gape at him in silence.

He must realize he's dazzled me, and his eyes sparkle. "So..." he drawls. My eyes meet his in expectation of his next statement.

"What did you think of the show?" he grins at me, wiggling his eyebrows. I roll my eyes at him but can't help the grin that spreads across my face.

"I suppose you earned the nickname 'cocky boy'," I say with a smirk. His grin widens at my teasing.

"How do you know I wasn't stuffing?" he challenges playfully.

"Would you admit it even if you were?" I retort.

"Hell no," he declares, and we both laugh at our ridiculous conversation. As our laughter dies, he holds his hand out to me. I tentatively place my hand into his and let him pull me down off my barstool.

His fingers are warm and firm against my skin, and I can't help but imagine what they would feel like on other parts of my body. As we shift to leave the restaurant, Edward settles his hand low on my back, just above the curve of my ass.

Just before we begin walking, Edward leans down low, letting his lips graze the shell of my ear as he whispers, "Maybe if you play your cards right, you can find out for yourself if I earned my nickname or if I was stuffing."

I stumble slightly, and his hand tightens on my waist to help me keep my balance. Not wanting him to have the upper hand, I turn towards him. He isn't expecting my sudden about-face and his breath hitches as my breasts graze his chest.

I place my hands on his shoulders then let one slowly descend down his sculpted chest, over his tight abs, finally hooking my index finger just inside his jeans. His breathing is coming faster, and his eyes are practically black with desire as he gazes down at me.

My other hand snakes up into the hair at the nape of his neck, and I splay my fingers through the silky strands and tug his head down. Just before our lips touch, I shift my head so I can speak into his ear.

"Play your cards right, and I'll let you really earn your nickname," I murmur, sucking his earlobe into my mouth. His breath hitches, but just before he can tighten his grip around my waist, I spin and continue walking out of the restaurant.

I can hear him muttering behind me, then his quick footsteps as he hurries to catch up with me.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Happy Valentine's Day! I think this is probably what we've all been waiting for so I'm not going to drag this out. Special thanks to cullenbug for her edits - they made this just that much hotter. Enjoy!**

After leaving the airport, I had berated myself for missing an opportunity to get to know the gorgeous man on the plane next to me, but had resigned myself to the way things were.

After finding him again, I had felt a mixture of relief and disappointment. Disappointment because he really was good looking, and it was a shame he had such a distasteful job; relief because maybe I hadn't really missed out on anything.

After two drinks with Edward, I feel terrible for having been so judgmental before actually having a conversation with him. I will admit I had made some broad assumptions about him based on his career. Apparently I was way off base.

He tells me he has a Masters in Sports Medicine, but he doesn't give me the whole cliché "paying my way through college" line. He tells me his friend Jasper, one of the blondes that went off with the girls, has always been a dancer and they both signed on to Thunder from Down Under after college because they wanted to travel and have some fun before they had to join the real world.

I find it incredibly easy to talk to him and quickly discover we have much more in common than I would have thought possible. He's kind, loyal, and incredibly sweet. I can tell how much he enjoys what he's doing right now, but it sounds like he's got ambitions beyond dancing, too.

He's telling me a story about how Emmett, another of the dancers, likes to hide the guys' g-strings just before they're supposed to go on stage, and as we're laughing I decide I'm not going to let myself have any regrets when it comes to Edward. Most importantly, I'm not going to let any more opportunities pass me by.

He eyes my empty glass and raises an eyebrow at me, silently asking if I want another. I shake my head, and his smile fades a little.

"Bella, I've had the most incredible time getting to know you," he begins, and it's obvious he thinks I turned down the drink because I'm ready for the night to be over. I place my hand on his thigh to stop that train of thought.

"Me too, Edward, and I'd really like to continue getting to know you. Maybe somewhere..._quieter_?" I suggest, hoping he understands the implication in my tone. The fire in his eyes tell me he does.

He immediately signals for the waiter, dropping more bills than are necessary onto the table once the check is placed in front of him. He stands and holds his hand out to me, a request and an offer. I accept immediately, allowing him to pull me up.

He tucks me against his side and leans close to murmur, "I actually live in a suite at Excalibur; makes the commute to work easy. Would you like to go there?"

I nod and he leads me out into the balmy night. I pull out my phone to let Rose know where I'll be then slide it back into my bag; Edward may be gorgeous and I trust him, but I'm also not stupid. My phone buzzes but I ignore it. I know what her response will be and I have more important things to think about right now.

Like the way Edward's thumb is slowly brushing back and forth along my collarbone as we walk. Or the way the muscles of his back flex as we walk. Or the way he smells.

We make our way through the lobby and into the elevator quickly, but after he presses the button for the 24th floor, he places me into one corner of the elevator and then steps into the opposite corner. I start to move back towards him, but he removes the hand that was raking through his hair to hold out and gesture for me to stop, causing me to halt my movements.

"I've been dying to get you somewhere private since I met you on the plane," he rasps. "This feels private, but isn't private enough for what I want to do to you. So please, Bella, you just stay over there and don't tempt me before I can do anything about it, because I don't think I'll be able to resist."

I smirk at him but move back to my corner demurely. We stare at each other across the space, waiting, wanting.

Finally, finally, the doors slide open. Edward gestures at me to precede him out of the elevator, then leads me with a gentle hand on my back down the hall. His key is in hand when we reach the door and he eagerly ushers me into the suite. [H1] "Would you like the nickel tour?" he asks quietly once the door has closed behind us. I glance around the cozy but gorgeously appointed space and am drawn forward to the wall of windows, the glittering lights of the strip laid out in front of us like scattered diamonds.

I see Edward step close behind me in the reflection in the glass and the charge between us is amplified in this quiet, private space. One of his hands lifts to sweep my hair gently over one shoulder, and then his lips brush feather-light across the now bare skin of my neck.

I lean back against his broad chest while his other arm snakes around my body to splay possessively against my belly. He pulls me flush against him and I can feel his erection, hot and heavy resting at the cleft of my ass.

"Bella," he murmurs, brushing more barely-there kisses against my flesh. "If you don't want this, you have to tell me now. You don't know how badly I've wanted this, wanted you. You've been all I could think of since I met you."

I am beyond words at this point, so I let him know my response in the way I arch against him and lean my head to the side to give him more access to my neck. He groans, and the pressure of his kisses increases along the column of my neck.

We stand there for I don't even know how long, Edward clutching my body against his as I struggle to even remember how to breathe, before he slows his caresses to my neck and steps back from me. I make a garbled sound of protest, but he's immediately back, spinning me gently in his arms before sandwiching me between his firm chest and the cool glass of the window.

Even with my heels on, he's a good 4 or 5 inches taller than me, and he leans down over me, surrounding me with his scent and his presence. Even though I seem to have lost control of my vocal chords, my hands still obey me, and I slide them up his sides before tangling my fingers in his hair.

He leans closer, eyes intense, burning with desire, anticipation, hope. I know the same mixture is displayed clearly in my eyes as I gaze back at him. "Please, Edward," I whisper throatily, licking my lips in anticipation.

My mother was right, "please" really is the magic word.

Edward crashes his lips against mine, hard and hungry. I respond eagerly, opening readily to his assault. His tongue brushes firmly against my lower lip, and I reach my own out to meet his. Our tongues tangle, dance, caress as Edward cards his fingers through my hair, holding my head in place for his ministrations.

Despite the hours of buildup, the kiss isn't frantic. We both know we have plenty of time to explore each other. The kiss is a prelude, a promise of pleasure to come.

I bring my hands down to his waistband and un-tuck his shirt, sliding my hands under the material to feel the warm, smooth skin beneath. His mouth leaves mine on a gasp, and he turns his attention lower, pressing hot, open-mouth kisses along my jaw and throat.

I lift my hands upward along his torso, feeling the muscles beneath my fingers flex at my caress, bringing his shirt up as I go. When I can't maneuver any further without his assistance, he reaches one hand behind his head and pulls the shirt off in one fluid movement.

I skate my hands along his bare torso, reveling in the silky skin stretched taught over rippling muscle. He's practically purring at my ministrations, and he dips his head back down to capture my lips again. His hands are skimming along my sides and back, and it's only when my dress hangs loose around my torso that I realize he was looking for the zipper.

I shrug out of the sparkly bit of fabric and let it pool at my feet, leaving me standing before him in the same panties he saw on the plane and the matching bra. He groans, and wraps his arms around me, crushing our bare chests together.

"I knew these would look fantastic on you," he whispers as he runs a single finger along the waistband of my panties just above my ass.

"They'll look even more fantastic on your floor," I respond, nipping at the juncture of his neck and shoulder.

Suddenly my feet are off the floor, and Edward is carrying me towards the bedroom. I squeal in surprise, and wrap my legs around him, locking my ankles behind his back. When we reach the bed, I expect him to lay me down and follow, but he surprises me by turning us around and dropping down with me on top of him.

I'm straddling him, and I can feel him pressed exactly where I want him, hard against soft. I grind against him, loving the friction, and he thrusts almost involuntarily against me.

"Christ, Love[H2] ," he pants, pushing my hair back from where it has fallen around my face. I lean down at the same time he leans up, and our mouths meet in the middle, battling for domination. I reach down and with surprisingly cooperative fingers am able to undo his belt and jeans. He lifts his hips and helps me slide the denim down his legs. He kicks the pants off and flips us over so he is hovering over me.

His erection is straining against his dark gray boxer briefs, and I suddenly have the thought that I'm glad he doesn't wear neon g-strings in everyday life. I almost laugh at the absurd thought considering the situation, but then he's undoing the clasp on my bra and easing the cups away from me, leaving me bare to his hungry gaze.

All thoughts flee my mind as he reaches up and swirls his thumb around one of my nipples while his mouth descends to the other, sucking it greedily into his hot mouth. I fist my hand in his hair, holding him in place and let out a wanton moan. I can feel him twitch against my thigh, and I press my leg more firmly against him.

He releases my nipple and I'm about to protest, but he begins pressing hot kisses against my stomach, and lower, and the protest morphs into a strangled moan in my throat. When he reaches the waistband of my panties, he raises his eyes to meet my gaze, asking permission to continue.

I lift my hips shamelessly, silently begging him to continue, and he obliges, sliding the lacy fabric gently down my hips. After he discards them to the floor, he returns to his position over me, gazing down at me. Usually I would feel self-conscious, being completely naked in front of a man as beautiful as Edward, but the way he's staring makes me feel safe, cherished.

He trails his fingers gently up my leg, letting them dip momentarily into the sensitive space behind my knee, before continuing up until he's just barely grazing my bare lips. In this moment, I am eternally grateful to Alice for insisting on the waxes, and then all thoughts of anything but Edward are banished as he slides a single finger through my slit.

"So wet for me, Love," he murmurs, pressing a hungry kiss against my mouth. I barely have time to respond before he's pulled away and repositioned himself between my legs.

"Only for you," I manage to gasp before his tongue replaces his finger, and he licks me from bottom to top. I throw my head back against the mattress, back bowing off the bed in pleasure. He brings an arm up to press against my hips to hold me steady, and then he goes to town.

I'm writhing and arching, fisting my hands in the sheets, in my hair, in Edward's hair, anything to try to keep me tethered to the Earth and the amazing sensations Edward is evoking.

I'm coiling tighter and tighter, until he curls two fingers inside of me as his tongue presses on my little bundle of nerves, and suddenly I am lost, the coil bursting loose violently. I am soaring, floating, falling, and Edward is there wringing every last shudder and spasm out of me until I lay limp and sated on the bed.

He wipes his chin on the back of his hand as he moves up and draws me in close to him, dropping soft kisses along my forehead, my cheeks, my nose. I catch his lips as they move past, and revel in the taste of myself on his tongue.

"That was the most incredible thing I've ever seen," he murmurs reverently, brushing a lock of hair back from my sweaty brow.

"It was pretty incredible from my end, too," I say, curling and rubbing against him like a cat in a sunbeam.

"Have I earned my nickname yet?" he teases gently, drawing me in for another kiss.

"Mmm, not quite yet," I mutter against his mouth. "Better work on that."

"Guess I better," he responds, pressing his hips against mine insistently. I reach down and snake my hand under the waistband of his briefs, feeling the leaking tip of his cock before wrapping my hand around his shaft.

"Oh fuck," he grunts, thrusting against my hand.

I rub him up and down, twisting my wrist at the top, snaking my fingers down to caress his balls at the bottom. His breath is coming hard and fast now, and it isn't long before he gently grips my wrist and pulls my hand away from him. I moue in protest and reach for him again, but he stops me.

"Fuck, Love, that feels too good. I want to be inside you when I come," he pants against my neck.

"God, I want that, too," I gasp as his hands reach down to spread my lips again. He fumbles in the nightstand for a moment before producing a foil packet. I take it from him and open it as he kicks his boxer briefs down his legs and onto the floor.

Now, I had seen pretty much all of Edward earlier in the night, but it did nothing to adequately prepare me for fully naked Edward. Fully naked, fully aroused Edward.

It's not until he chuckles and says, "See something you like?" that I realize I've been staring. I gather my wits and smirk up at him.

"Nickname well earned, cocky boy. Now let's see how well you use it." I slide the latex slowly down his shaft, giving him a few pumps for good measure, before he growls and pounces on me.

His kiss is slow and languid, deep without being frantic, as he positions himself between my legs. He hitches one of my legs around his back and lifts the other so my ankle is on his shoulder. His cock is right there, the tip brushing tantalizingly against my center.

I'm a needy mess again, and I lift my hips in demand. The movement causes the head of his cock to slip just inside me and we both gasp at the sensation.

I still and gaze up at him, meeting his bright green eyes. His gaze is searching, smoldering, and he must be satisfied by what he sees in my eyes because he begins to push inside me. Slowly, inch by inch, drawing out the experience, until he is completely inside and our hips are pressed together.

He feels so good inside me, his thick cock stretching me, making me feel deliciously full. He closes his eyes for a moment, gasping for breath, and when he opens his eyes again they are burning with an emotion I can't name but I feel just the same.

"Oh, Love, you feel so fucking amazing. You were made just for me, weren't you?" he grunts as he slowly withdraws and pushes back in.

I moan, lifting my hips in invitation. He's still withdrawing and advancing, agonizingly slow, driving me absolutely crazy in the best way possible.

"Please, Edward. Oh, god. Harder," I gasp.

"Harder?" he asks, snapping his hips against me deliciously, drawing another gasp from me.

"Yes. Yes, oh, god. Please."

He doesn't respond with words, but he begins driving into me. I clutch at his shoulders, feeling that coil tightening again. He's grunting and panting as he thrusts inside me, muttering curses and blessings, dropping soft kisses to any skin he can reach.

I am incoherent, snapping my hips up to match him thrust for thrust. I'm vaguely aware that I'm moaning and gasping his name every time he hits that secret place inside me, but I'm too lost to the sensations to care.

He's driving me higher and higher, and when he drops a hand to rub at my clit, I clench and shatter around him with a keening cry of his name.

Moments later his thrusts become erratic, and as he gasps, "Oh, shit, Love. Oh, Bella -" I feel him pulse and spill into me. He collapses, half on me, half on the bed, as we both try to catch our breath. I turn my head towards him, lips seeking, catching on his, and he returns my kiss gently.

It may be minutes or hours later that he gets up to dispose of the condom, and he returns from the bathroom with a damp washcloth which he uses to wipe me gently. He tosses the used cloth back into the bathroom and then snuggles in next to me, drawing the sheets over our still naked bodies.

"Stay," he murmurs, against my hair, pressing a kiss there, and I am grateful I get to postpone my walk of shame until the morning. Besides, I don't think I could walk even if I wanted to; my bones feel like jelly in my post-orgasmic haze.

I murmur my consent, and he draws me close, spooning me against him. His breath drifts soft and warm over my shoulder, and just as sleep is about to claim me, I hear him whisper, "Goodnight, Love." I try to respond but I think all I manage is a garbled "Nnngt Love" before I fall into a dreamless sleep.

**A/N: *fans self* Phew, anyone else think it's hot in here? **

**That's the last regular chapter; just a short epi to wrap everything up next week. See you then!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Well, my lovelies, this is it. I can't tell you how much I've appreciated your love on this little plot bunny of mine. Thank you, and enjoy!**

As the plane lands in Seattle, I'm drawn from my musings about the weekend and I eagerly turn on my phone to check for messages. I frown when I don't see the name I want to see.

Disappointed, I stash my phone in my bag and scurry off the plane. As I approach baggage claim, I can see Rose waiting for me, her husband next to her gazing down at her adoringly. I smile at the sight of them, remembering their wedding.

_I wake up slowly, like I'm reaching the surface after being deep underwater. The first thing I notice is that my pillow is moving. That is likely because my pillow is actually Edward's chest. The next thing I notice is that the sheets are suspiciously tented in a particular area. Hm, what to do? Awkward walk of shame or round three? Yeah, round two was in the middle of the night when Edward woke me up with sweet kisses and gentle caresses. _

_Round three wins, I think smugly, wriggling gently out of his grasp and lower on his body, ducking beneath the sheets that sit low on his hips. His cock is hard and eager, just waiting for my attention. So I give it what it so clearly wants. _

_I wrap my lips gently around the head, swirling my tongue over the slit, gathering the precum that has leaked out. I dip my head low, taking as much of him in as I can, letting my fist cover the rest. My other hand drifts down to fondle his balls, rolling them gently between my fingers. _

_I can tell when Edward crosses that edge from wet dream to conscious arousal. He gasps desperately and fists his hands in my hair._

_"Oh, god, Love. Oh, fuck," he moans, thrusting gently into my waiting mouth. I hum around him and increase my suction, and it's only a matter of moments before he's releasing in long streams down my throat. _

_I lick him clean, then kiss my way up his torso. He wraps me in his arms and kisses me deeply, never mind the fact that he's just come in my mouth and I probably have morning breath that would knock over a dragon. _

_"Mmm, either I'm still dreaming, or I'm the luckiest bastard on the face of the planet," he murmurs, dropping more kisses onto my face and neck._

_"I can pinch you if you think you're still dreaming," I offer sweetly, pinching his ass before he realizes my intent. He yelps and arches away from my fingers. The evil grin that spreads across his face makes me wonder if I've maybe started something that he's going to finish. That fear is confirmed when he starts tickling me mercilessly. _

_The playful tumbling and gasps of laughter quickly turn to caresses and gasps of pleasure as Edward treats me to round four. _

_Edward lets me shower first since he knows he won't be able to behave if we share a shower, and I'm too sore for any more hanky-panky. As I towel off, I realize Rose responded to me last night and I never checked it. I open her message, and am thoroughly confused._

_R: I'm getting married! Where are you?_

_She hasn't sent any follow ups. I didn't think she was that drunk that she'd forget the reason we were in Vegas was to celebrate her bachelorette party, and my previous text to her had literally been where I was. Now I was concerned about how much more she'd had to drink after we'd parted ways._

_B: I know you're getting married. That's why we're in Vegas...to celebrate the end of your single days. And I told you I was going back to Edward's place._

_Her response is almost immediate_

_R: Um, about that...can you come meet me at the Bellagio gardens around 10? Wear your dress. Bring Edward._

_B: ? Rose, what is going on?_

_R: I'll explain when you get here_

_I glance up from my phone as Edward comes in, his towel hanging dangerously low on his hips. One look at my face, and he's pulling me into his arms. "What's wrong, Love?" he asks nervously. _

_"Rose wants us to meet her at the Bellagio gardens at 10. I'm supposed to wear my dress. But her messages were all weird, and I'm worried she got into trouble last night."_

_"Well, we'll go meet her and get everything straightened out, ok? Do you want breakfast first?" he offers._

_I shake my head. "No, now I'm too worried to eat anything." He nods in understanding, and goes to get dressed._

_An hour later, we're walking hand-in-hand into the Bellagio gardens. I've never been before, and they take my breath away; the space is absolutely gorgeous. My eyes hone in on Rose and I drop Edward's hand to rush to her. _

_"Are you ok? What happened last night? What did those messages mean?" I ask rapid fire once I reach her, hugging her close then holding her at arm's length to visually inspect her._

_She laughs and pulls me in again for another hug. "I'm fine!" she reassures me. "More than fine, in fact. Last night is kinda a long story, but cliff-notes is Edward sent us off with those fine men, I started talking with one of them, and we're kinda getting married. Today. Right now."_

_I pull away from her at her exclamation, searching her face for any sign of a joke, but she's dead serious. I glance around, noticing for the first time that right behind her is one of the guys from the show last night. Edward has joined us by now, and he glares at the man._

_"Emmett, what are you pulling? She's getting married to another man. I know you're big on jokes, but this isn't funny," he chastises. Ah, so this is Emmett. _

_"No way, man. No joke. I mean, I know she was engaged to the other dude, but when you know, you know, right?" Emmett defends, pulling Rose against him. I start to protest but then I see the way they're looking at each other. Rose never once looked at her fiancé Royce like that in all the years they've been together._

_I glance at Edward and I know he sees what I see. He raises his eyebrows at me, silently asking me what I want to do. I shrug, then turn to Rose. "Well, honey, you're an adult. If you're happy with Emmett, I'm happy for you. And I can't wait to see you get married."_

_Her responding smile is blinding, and Emmett lets out a whoop as he picks her up and kisses her. I turn back to Edward and he's gazing at me with that same look from last night in his eyes. "When you know, you know," he murmurs. _

That day I watched my best friend marry a man she had known for less than 24 hours, and I stood next to her, more proud of her than I'd ever been. The logistics had been a little tricky at first, with Rose based in Seattle and Emmet in Las Vegas, and they spent the first few weeks of their marriage living in separate cities, but soon Emmett had found a job as a personal trainer at a Seattle gym and had moved up to be with his Rosie.

Apparently Edward was quite the matchmaker, because Alice had hooked up with Jasper that night and they were now attached at the hip. And apparently Kate and Victoria got their own slices of Aussie man meat, although they weren't quite as serious as Emmett and Rose, or Alice and Jasper. Or Edward and I for that matter.

I took longer to convince than Rose. I left after that weekend with every intention of never speaking to Edward again. But after incessant texts, phone calls, and thoughtful gift deliveries, I finally gave in and admitted to Edward that what had happened in Vegas didn't need to stay in Vegas.

He wooed me slowly, and from a distance, but it gave us a chance to really get to know each other without the distraction of our physical chemistry. He would fly up to Seattle when he had weekends off, and I would fly down to Las Vegas as often as my bank account would allow, and we made it work.

I was just returning from one such trip to Las Vegas, which I spent watching Edward perform in his last show for Thunder from Down Under. It was a fantastic show, with the guys and the crowd giving Edward a proper send-off. And at the very end, he yanked me up onstage, despite my protests, and rather than give me a lap dance, he dropped onto one knee and gave me a ring and his heart.

As I approach Rose and Emmett, I feel my phone buzz in my bag. I fumble around trying to find it and finally manage to pull it out.

A smile lights up my face when I see the familiar name flash across the screen, and I quickly open the text.

E: All packed and the truck should be heading out tonight. It should get there sometime Wednesday, and my flight gets in tomorrow around 3.

B: I can't wait! Finally, it feels like it's taken forever. I can't wait to have you all to myself

E: You just left three hours ago, pretty girl. And you had me to yourself all weekend

B: Yeah, but this time it's forever

E: Forever. I love the sound of that

B: Me too, love. I'll call you when I get home

E: K, drive safe. I love you

B: Love you, too, cocky boy

E: Damn straight ;)


	6. Outtake 1

**A/N: Ok, I wasn't planning this, but Edward wanted his chance. Hopefully this version posts correctly. Gotta love technical difficulties. See me at the bottom. Enjoy!**

"Dude, put the phone down. You staring at it won't make her call you," James taunts from behind me. I glare at him over my should but shove my phone into my locker anyway. I hate that he's right. I hate that I haven't heard from Bella since she left over a week ago.

I thought we'd had a connection. Well, I know I had a connection. It had blindsided me, how quickly she'd gotten under my skin. When I first saw her on the plane, flustered and blushing, I'd been intrigued by her beauty. Then when the panic had crossed her pretty face at take-off, I had an inexplicable urge to protect her and soothe away all of her worries. Then the ache of leaving her at the airport had been replaced by the ecstasy of meeting her again at our performance and the earth-shattering night that followed.

"No one's going to be very happy if you go out there with that scowl on your face," Emmett calls. I stick my middle finger up over my shoulder without turning to look at him. He guffaws and comes over to clap a hand on my shoulder. "Have you tried calling her?"

I roll my eyes at him. "What do you think?" I snark. "Of course I've tried to call her. I've sent her texts, called, left voice mails, but she hasn't responded. At this point, she probably thinks I'm a stalker."

"Well then it's time to up your game, mate!" Emmett announces.

"What do you mean?"

"Time to bring out the big guns. Flowers, chocolates, pictures of you naked, that kind of thing," he explains. I punch him in the shoulder for the last one but am considering his advice just the same. But flowers and chocolates are too generic for Bella. I have something much better in mind.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

B: How did you get my address?

I smirk at the text message, pleased that I've finally elicited a response from her, and decide to tease her a little.

E: Hello, pretty girl, how have you been?

B: Seriously, the calls and texts were stalkery enough. This is a whole new level

E: Stalkery? Is that even a word?

B: Shut up. Seriously, how did you get my address?

E: I may have had some help from a mutual friend

B: I will kill Rose. Why are you doing this?

E: Because I don't want to let you go

B: Please stop

E: Mmmm...nope :)

I can just picture her sighing and glaring at her phone, and the thought brings a smile to my face. I like teasing her, and I'm not willing to let her just walk away. I know there is something special between us, and I just need to convince her to give us a chance.

E: Do you like it?

B: I haven't opened it. I don't want it, whatever it is

E: Don't be stubborn, pretty girl. You know you're curious

B: Nope, not at all, sorry

E: Suit yourself, Love. Talk to you soon

Even though I don't know her very well yet, I know her well enough to know that it won't take long for the curiosity to drive her crazy. I try not to be too smug when my phone chimes not even half an hour later.

B: Thank you

E: Was that so hard?

B: Don't be an ass. You're just lucky this is one of my biggest weaknesses

E: Luck has nothing to do with it, Love. You told me you loved coffee, but wouldn't buy yourself the good stuff. So I bought you the good stuff. You deserve the best

B: I can't believe you remember that

E: I remember everything you told me

I was being honest, but that must disconcert her, because I don't hear from her again that day. Or the next. A few days ago, I would have been frustrated, but now I have a feeling she's just afraid to admit to herself that she feels the same things I do. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to convince her.

Over the next week, I continue to send her gifts. Bella doesn't send me any more texts when she gets them, but Rose keeps me updated. I'm more than thankful to have her as an ally.

She sends me a picture of Bella with a wide grin on her face as she opens the stuffed kangaroo with the adoption certificate from World Wildlife Fund.

I appreciate the irony of the picture of Bella at a park, sitting on a bench with her nose in buried in a book, wearing the t-shirt I sent with "I'm not addicted to reading. I can quit after just one more chapter" scrawled across her chest.

Emmett teases me when I set the wallpaper on my phone to the picture of Bella with a spoon in her mouth and a blissful expression on her face as she eats the Nutella Gelato I had delivered from D'Ambrosio.

I'm just getting back from rehearsal one afternoon when my phone rings. When I see the caller ID light up with Bella's name, a wide grin spreads across my face and I quickly hit accept.

"Hello, pretty girl. To what do I owe the pleasure?" I purr into the phone when it connects.

"Edward," she sighs into the phone, and I can't quite tell if she's exasperated or pleased. I get my answer a moment later. "This is incredible."

My smile is incandescent. "I thought you might like it," I murmur.

"Like it? I _love _it, Edward. Where on Earth did you find something like this?" I can hear her smile through the awe in her voice, and every fiber of my being aches to hold her again.

"Just something I found while browsing online," I reply, picturing the poster-sized print containing the entire text of The Princess Bride that I had sent her. She had told me it was both her favorite book and her favorite movie, and when I found it, I couldn't resist.

"It's amazing. _You're_ amazing. I was absolutely determined to ignore you, to just leave you, _us_, in Vegas. But Edward..."

I hold my breath, hoping desperately she'll give me a chance.

"No one has ever made me feel so wanted, or put so much thought into gifts. And we barely had 48 hours together. That speaks volumes about the kind of man you are, and I don't want to fight it anymore. I'd like to give this a chance. If you're still interested?"

I sigh happily. "Of course I'm still interested, Love. Obviously I wasn't exactly interested in giving up easily."

She giggles, and the musical sound sends shivers up my spine. "So how does this work, cocky boy?"

"However you want," I reassure her. "We can text, or talk on the phone, or email. If you want to get together in person, I can come up with Emmett or you can come down with Rose on weekends, or we can meet in the middle somewhere. I'm open to anything you want to give me."

"Let's maybe just stick to talking for now. We can discuss visits a little later if we get to that point."

I don't tell her that I'm already at the point where I'd follow her anywhere she'd lead me. I figure that might be a little too much for her to hear right now, and I don't want to push my luck. Instead, I agree easily, "That sounds perfect. So what have you been up to the last few weeks?"

"Well, this guy has been texting me, calling me, sending me presents incessantly. It's kinda creepy, but he's pretty hot so it basically evens out," she teases with a giggle.

I laugh at her description of my behavior. "Sounds like he's a keeper," I tease.

"Mmm, we'll see," she hums. I know I'm grinning like a fool but I'm so thrilled to be getting this opportunity to prove myself to Bella that I can't find it in me to care. I have never felt a connection to another person the way I feel connected with her, and I will do everything in my power to make us work.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse inside Edward's mind. I probably won't add any more to this story, but I won't rule it out either. However, I do have a new story that I'm working on that is about 50% written so far. Very different from this one (no strippers, at least), but still light and fluffy. I'm looking for someone to pre-read or Beta for me, bounce some ideas off of. I have cullenbug who is fabulous (seriously, go read Original Six. Hockeyward is hot!) but I'd love to have another sounding board. Shoot me a PM and we'll talk. **

**XOXO Eli**


	7. Outtake 2

**A/N: Ugh, I am just all over the place today. Posted everything together when I wanted it as two separate outtakes. Well it's separate now. Here's your citrus, because that's why we're all here, right? Enjoy!**

"Oh God, Edward," Bella moans as I grind my aching cock against her. I have her pinned against the wall of the elevator, my face buried in the sweet smelling skin of her neck. Her hands skate frantically over my shoulders and back before finally settling on my ass and giving a squeeze.

"I love you so much," I pant, lifting my head to press another hard kiss to her already swollen lips.

I can feel her smile spread against my lips before she whispers, "I love you, too. I can't wait to be your wife." I groan as my cock twitches at her words.

The elevator dings our arrival at my floor and I practically drag Bella down the hallway to my door. I fumble with the key card as her fingers trail across my stomach before dropping lower to brush against my erection. I finally manage to get the door open and we tumble inside.

Bella's breathless giggles quickly turn to sexy whimpers when I lift her legs to wrap around my hips, settling her soft warmth against my insistent cock. She rolls her hips sensually against me, and I growl a teasing warning, "I had these grand plans to make sweet love to my fiancée in my bed, but you're shooting that to hell, Love. Keep that up and I'm going to fuck you against the back of the couch."

"You make that sound like a bad thing, Cocky Boy," she purrs, rolling her hips again. My hips buck against her involuntarily, seeking her warmth and friction.

"Not tonight," I insist, cupping her ass and carrying her to the bedroom. Her lips keep up a constant assault on my skin, driving me wild with flicks of her tongue and nips of her teeth. When my knees hit the edge of the mattress, I tumble us both onto the bed with a playful growl, bracing myself so I don't crush her.

She giggles as we bounce, threading her fingers through my hair and pulling me down to nip at my lips. "Easy there, Tiger. You break it, you buy it," she teases.

"Good thing I already planned on buying it," I reply, pulling her left hand around and dropping a kiss to the ring I'd placed there earlier in the evening.

I had been so nervous about proposing; I had wanted to pay homage to our first night together by proposing at my final Thunder from Down Under show, but was worried she might not appreciate the gesture. When we'd first started our relationship, Bella had been upfront about not loving that my job required me to take off my clothes for other women, but she also never gave me an ultimatum about having to quit to keep her. Plus, hiding a diamond ring in a g-string was a little tricky and took a lot of planning. Luckily everything had worked out exactly the way I'd hoped and she had agreed to be mine forever.

"Oh, is that was this is?" she asks, wiggling her fingers, making the diamonds sparkle in the low light of the bedside lamp. "My bride price? Did you give my father some goats, too?"

"Hush, you," I growl, nipping at her neck. She giggles, then moans when I press my hips against hers.

"Maybe you should prove you still deserve your nickname, Cocky Boy. I need to sample the goods before I'm convinced to buy."

I scoff indignantly. "You've already sampled the goods, sweetheart. If I haven't convinced you yet, I don't know what will."

"Well, if you're not interested, I can just call up Jake, see if he's free tonight," she grins wickedly, moving to wriggle out from beneath me.

I scowl and pin her harder against the mattress, skimming my hand up to cup her breast possessively. Once when I brought Bella out with all the guys after a show, Jake had cornered her and drunkenly told her that if she ever got sick of banging a Bluey he'd show her what a real man could do for her. She'd laughed in his face, but still enjoyed bringing it up occasionally to tease me.

"You're not going anywhere, Pretty Girl. Not until I'm through with you," I murmur, pressing a kiss to the sensitive spot at the bottom of her jaw, eliciting soft moan from her.

I pull her blouse up and over her head, then push the cup of her lacy bra down, her nipple pebbling at the sudden exposure to the air conditioning. "And when will you be through with me?" Bella pants as I brush my thumb back and forth against the beaded tip.

"Never," I growl, leaning down to capture the rosy peak with my lips. Her groan of pleasure shoots straight through me, and my cock twitches in the cradle of her thighs. We both know that the time for teasing is past, and our simmering passion begins to boil over.

I reach behind her to unclasp her bra at the same time that she skims her hands up my spine to pull my shirt off. Our kisses are deep, wet, bordering on frantic as we battle for dominance. I cup her breasts, pushing the soft mounds together to create delectable cleavage, and she ups the ante by sliding her hands down my stomach and into my jeans.

I grunt as she wraps her fingers around my aching cock, swiping her thumb across the leaking tip. My fingers fumble with the buttons on my jeans, finally managing to get the fly open and giving her more room to stroke me.

My eyes roll back in my head as her warm, little hands caress and tease. My hips thrust of their own volition as molten heat settles low in my spine. When her fingers dip lower and cup my balls, sliding behind to press gently on my perineum, it takes all of my willpower to not shoot off like a virginal teenager.

"I need to be inside you," I growl, unzipping her skirt and sliding it down over her hips before kicking of my own jeans. She whimpers and bows off of the bed when my seeking fingers slip her panties off then delve into the wet heat between her legs.

She's hot and smooth and so, so wet for me already. I hum my approval, sliding two fingers into her silken heat and circling her clit with my thumb. She cries out and I can feel her walls clench around my fingers.

"Are you ready for me, Love?" I murmur against her ear, letting my teeth graze her skin gently.

"Fuck, Edward. Yes!"

I flip us over so Bella sits straddling me, her heat searing me where our hips press together. "Show me," I demand.

She doesn't need to be told twice. She slides her hips forward, dragging her wetness along my cock before lifting slightly and lowering herself slowly onto me. I let out a long, low groan as her velvety heat envelops me.

Once I'm fully seated inside of her, she pauses, her hands braced on the headboard. Our eyes lock and I'm lost in the heat and love reflected in her gaze. I don't know what I did in a past life to deserve this woman, but I'm not stupid enough to question it. "Bella," I breathe, reaching up to cup her jaw. She nuzzles into my touch before turning and pressing a kiss against my palm.

"I know," she replies. Of course she does. She's turned my world inside out, broken down all my walls, made me whole.

After a moment, her lashes droop and she begins to move, undulating sensually above me. I drop my hand from her jaw to settle on her hip, flexing my fingers into the supple flesh. I slide my other hand to where we're joined, pressing small circles around her clit.

Her breath hitches at my touch, and her hips pick up speed. Sparks shoot up my spine with each slide of her skin against mine and I know I won't be able to hold off much longer. "Get there, baby. I need you to come for me," I grunt, thrusting up to meet her.

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit," she chants, her pace faltering as her walls tighten and pulse around my cock. My tenuous control snaps, and I piston my hips into her, arching up and clutching her to my chest. A handful of thrusts later, my orgasm rockets through me and I spill into her, calling her name.

Our panting breaths are the only sounds in the room as we cling to each other and come down from our shared highs. Once my heart rate has slowed, I press a soft kiss to Bella's shoulder before leaning back against the pillows, pulling her down on top of me.

She shifts slightly, snuggling against my side. Her hand traces patterns on my stomach as I toy with the ends of her hair. "I love you," she murmurs after a while, and my heart swells the same way it always does when she says those words.

I lift her chin so her eyes meet mine. "I love you, too," I reply, dropping a gentle kiss on her lips. "Always." Her eyes shine with happiness, and she nuzzles back into my chest and we fall back into contented silence.

After several minutes, she shifts to lean on her elbow, an impish gleam in her eye as she drawls, "Soooo...Think the guys are available for my bachelorette party?"

**A/N: Like I mentioned before, I have a new story that I'm working on that is about 50% written so far. Very different from this one (no strippers, at least), but still light and fluffy. I'm looking for someone to pre-read or Beta for me, bounce some ideas off of. I have cullenbug who is fabulous (seriously, go read Original Six. Hockeyward is hot!) but I'd love to have another sounding board. Shoot me a PM and we'll talk.**

**XOXO Eli**


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